


He is What He Hides

by punk_rock_yuppie



Series: Flashvibe Week 2016 [1]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, FlashVibe Week 2016, M/M, Semi-Canon Compliant, Spies/Secret Agents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-10
Updated: 2016-05-10
Packaged: 2018-06-07 16:18:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6812920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punk_rock_yuppie/pseuds/punk_rock_yuppie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barry Allen is part of an underground group of people determined to expose Harrison Wells for the fraud he is. </p><p>Cisco Ramon works for S.T.A.R. Labs but is just as eager to take down Wells as anyone else. </p><p>It starts when Cisco catches Barry breaking into the labs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	He is What He Hides

**Author's Note:**

> here it is! my late contribution for day 1 of flashvibe week 2016! not exactly spies/secret agents but also exactly that. this is canon-compliant in a way and kind of blends what happened with the e-2 particle accelerator explosion and the e-1 explosion as well as a variety of other facts. check the end notes for a better explanation (also sort of spoilers for the fic itself). i took some creative liberties so i hope this still makes sense!
> 
> not beta'd, enjoy!

Barry is hunched over one of several computers in S.T.A.R. Labs main cortex; the speedforce is buzzing in his veins as his fingertips speed across the keyboard and he takes in the information springing onto the screens. He knows it’s not the best course of action, speed-reading through the important files he’s supposed to be transferring to the thumb drive in his pocket; he knows he’ll only remember half of this stuff. But, he figures, if he loses the drive between here and home, at least he’ll have _some_ information as opposed to none.

Biting his lip, Barry finally caves and starts moving the files. There’s nothing he can do to make the computer process faster, and he’s trying to transfer a ridiculously large amount of files, so Barry ends up taking a step back and tapping his foot impatiently. He loves his superspeed, most days; it’s come in handy more often than not. Barry does _not_ love the fact that waiting seems to take three times as long as it used to now that his whole body operates on a faster level.

As the files drift across the screen from one location to the next, Barry feels as though he’s going out of his mind. He never had the patience for this sort of stuff _before_ he became a speedster—now? Now it’s even worse and he’s half tempted to just see if he can take the whole computers with him instead. It’d probably be faster, if a little more tiresome. Joe would probably bite Barry’s head off for doing something so blatantly reckless.

This mission is about stealth: no one is supposed to know Barry is here. Harrison Wells is out of town on a business conference; he’s the only one who usually stays at the labs so late into the night. There’s no security guards, and despite the high-tech, top-notch security system in place, it’s no match for Barry’s speed.

Barry is so lost in his thoughts he doesn’t realize there’s someone else in the room with him until there’s a gun cocking at the back of his head. Barry turns, speedforce coming to life across his skin in bursts of red lightning, but before he can make a move something sharp pinches the ball of his shoulder—a needle. He can feel himself slowing as the nanites invade his body; he can feel the speedforce going silent for the time being. For the first time in a long while, Barry feels _fear_.

He does eventually turn and past the barrel of the gun pointed in his face, he locks eyes with the S.T.A.R. Labs lackey. Barry catalogs the person before him: long, dark hair that skirts his shoulders, a dorky t-shirt under a casual blazer, corduroy skinny pants, hands shaking around the gun and his eyes blown wide with adrenaline. He’s not a fighter, not really. Barry can take him down with or without the superspeed, he knows this.

“You’re breaking and entering,” the guy murmurs. “You’re the Scarlet Speedster.”

Barry nods, smirking. “And, you are…?”

“Cisco Ramon,” he replies. “I-I work here.” Cisco gestures to the cortex. “I’m an engineer.”

“What are you doing here so late?” Barry asks slowly, as though speaking to a frightened animal. Which, given the nervous energy radiating from Cisco, it’s not a far off analogy.

“I was working on something,” Cisco seems to realize he’s being ridiculous and points the gun more firmly in Barry’s face. “What are _you_ doing here?”

Barry snorts. “I think that’s obvious,” he motions to the computer, still transferring files from the computer to the thumb drive. “You’ve probably seen the papers.” People rising up against Harrison Wells in the wake of the particle accelerator explosion has been headline news for months. Groups of people coming together to protest, to fight, to riot.

Barry is part of something a touch more subtle, a touch less crazed, but no less determined. People know ‘the Scarlet Speedster’ has a vendetta against Harrison Wells, but not many people know exactly how many people Barry has on his own personal team.

Cisco nods. “So, what, you’re just stealing all our information?”

Barry’s fingertips twitch and sparks of the speedforce jumpstart inside him again. He doesn’t let on, though. He just nods again. “Gotta have proof, right?”

Cisco’s gaze flicks from Barry to the computer screen and back. “I can help you with that.” Cisco finally drops the gun. “Dr. Wells knew the particle accelerator was going to explode. He knew this was going to happen.”

Barry doesn’t let his surprise show on his face. “You just had a gun in my face, and I’m supposed to trust you?”

Cisco rolls his eyes and reaches out before Barry can react and grabs his wrist. Barry’s mind goes blank, then a scene develops around him. Barry realizes that he’s looking at the memory from the sidelines, and that Cisco is standing beside him. They watch for a few choppy, brutal moments as the lightning comes down and strikes Barry where he stands. Barry turns to Cisco and starts to speak, but the memory vanishes the moment he opens his mouth.

Barry shakes. “What was that?” He holds his wrist to his chest after Cisco lets go.

Cisco sighs. “It’s what the particle accelerator did to me.” Cisco flexes the fingers of his free hand. “I can—I get these vibes. I can see the past, present, and future. I’m a meta.”

“Does Wells know?”

Cisco shakes his head with a scoff. “Yeah, I’m totally going to tell my evil maniac boss that his favorite employee is a meta, just so he can lock me up in the pipeline alongside the Mardon brothers and Firestorm.” Cisco shudders. “You know Firestorm used to work here? And that he went missing after the explosion?”

Barry nods; the list of people missing or presumed dead after the explosion stayed in the paper for weeks. _Ronald Raymond._

“He came back, and, _god_ ,” Cisco laughs a bitter laugh, “you should’ve seen Caitlin’s face. He was her fiancé, and now he was back, _not_ dead, and it was—god you should’ve seen it.” Cisco trails off from his already disjointed explanation. Barry takes over.

“But when Wells found out about his powers… Wells locked him up.”

Cisco nods. His grip on the gun clenches briefly, then relaxes. “It’s not just that,” he says, “it’s…you have no idea what Wells has done.”

The computer behind them pings with the completion of the task. Barry looks to it and back at Cisco.

“You’re really gonna help us?” Barry asks, and _fuck_ , Joe’s disapproving “dad voice” is ringing in his ears. _You always want to see the best in people, Barr, it’s just not realistic._ Barry knows this is probably a terrible idea, he knows there’s a bigger chance Cisco is just going to double-cross them than actually help them, and yet… Barry can’t shake the feeling that Cisco is _exactly_ who they need to take down Wells once and for all.

Cisco nods and sets the gun aside.

Barry ejects the thumb drive from the computer, tucks it back into his suit’s pocket, then looks Cisco up and down. “How do you want to do this?” At Cisco’s befuddled expression, Barry elaborates. “The fastest way out of here is to use my speed,” he vibrates his hand just to show that the nanites have worn off, “and I’m going to have to carry you.”

Cisco pinks from is hairline to the collar of his shirt. “Oh.”

Barry bites back a laugh. “Anything but a fireman’s carry and you’ll probably be fine.”

Cisco nods dazedly. “What usually works best for you?”

In lieu of replying, Barry speeds forward and gathers Cisco in a bridal carry. “It’s only for a few seconds,” he assures. “You should probably hold on tight.”

Cisco obediently clings to Barry, arms looped around his neck and face buried into his chest. Barry grins to himself, casts one last look at the cortex, then speeds off back into the night.

 

Barry is right: Joe does bite Barry’s head off, he goes into an hours long rant about being too trusting, too naïve, too immature. Not for the first time they get into an argument about whether or not Barry can handle the responsibilities thrust upon him. Not for the first time, Joe questions if this whole ridiculous plot is even worth it. It goes on for so long that by the end of it, Joe is nearly to tears, Barry is red flushed with indignant anger, and Cisco is standing awkwardly to the side.

It takes only a few days to prove Barry right again, though: Cisco _is_ immensely helpful, with his extensive schooling, his powers, and his knowledge of everything happening at S.T.A.R. Labs. It takes almost no time at all for Cisco to prove his loyalty and his usefulness, and barely a month has passed before Joe starts treating him like family.

 

“You can’t do this.”

Barry looks up at Cisco. “Don’t.”

Cisco bristles and stalks into the room, right up to where Barry is hunched over the blueprints for their plan. “This is stupid, and reckless, and dangerous. You can’t do this, Barry.”

“There’s no other way.” Barry pinches the bridge of his nose and blinks away the sleep clinging to his eyes. “There’s no one else who can do this, and there’s no other way to take Wells down.”

“You’ll die.” Cisco’s arms are crossed tight over his chest and his feet are in a stance wide apart.

“Maybe,” Barry agrees. “That’s a risk someone has to take.” Barry stands up straighter and finally faces Cisco dead on.

“Why does that someone have to be _you_?” Cisco asks.

Barry stares down at Cisco with narrowed eyes. “Are you telling me you’d rather try sending someone else in? Like Ronnie, or Eddie? Or Wally?” Barry puts all his effort into appearing stronger, more powerful than Cisco as though that’ll get him to back down. “I am the only one who has even the slightest chance of making it out alive. It’s not guaranteed but I’m a hell of a lot more likely to survive than anyone else.”

Cisco doesn’t shrink or falter. “We can take more time. We can come up with a different plan.” He tilts his chin defiantly toward Barry. He doesn’t break his gaze locked with Barry’s. “This isn’t the end all-be all. We can—there’s so much more we can do. There _has_ to be something else.”

Something in Barry’s chest clicks, not heartbreak but something equally sharp and revealing. He caves; he falters first and leans down to kiss Cisco firmly on the lips. It’s been months in the making, just like their plan. From that first night at the labs when Barry had the stray thought of kissing Cisco’s blush to now, when Cisco is fighting Barry tooth and nail over putting his life on the line.

Barry’s hands come up and cup Cisco’s jaw as he deepens the kiss. He kisses desperately, eagerly, with no regard for where they are or how anyone could walk in on them at any moment. Barry is rewarded for his efforts when Cisco keens into the kiss and locks his hands onto Barry’s waist. They kiss hungrily and deep until their lungs are burning.

Cisco pulls back first, panting for air. “Now you _really_ can’t go along with this stupid plan,” Cisco retorts.

Barry laughs against Cisco’s lips. “Cisco…”

Cisco sags against Barry’s chest and tucks himself close. “I don’t want you to go.”

Barry’s arms curl naturally around Cisco and hold him tighter. “I know.” Barry rests his chin on the top of Cisco’s head. “But this is our only chance. If we don’t go for it now, we’ll never have another chance like this and things will only get worse.”

“The world needs you.” Cisco mumbles, “ _I_ need you.”

“I’ll come back,” Barry promises.

 Cisco looks up after a long stretch of silence. “Don’t lie to me.” His voice is hard and bitter and wet with the tears that are pooling in his eyes.

Barry swallows his nerves and nods. “I’ll try to come back.” He leans down and kisses Cisco again softly. “I promise.”

 

The labs are burning, smoke going up dark and high and blending with the storming clouds overhead.  Things are a disaster, and Cisco isn’t sure whether it’s for better or worse. Joe is on his heels as they run towards the ruins of S.T.A.R. Labs, through the firefight of the C.C.P.D., metahuman, and other criminals wanting in on the action. Barry is nowhere in sight and it’s that fact that has Cisco running as fast as he can even when he trips over holes in the ground and bodies strewn about.

Eventually he and Joe reach the pile of stone and glass that was once the labs. It’s eerily still compared to everything around them. There are no fights happening here, there’s no screaming or explosions, but it’s still not calm. Because somewhere under that wreckage is Barry, and Cisco is about five seconds away from doing whatever it takes to dig him out.

Joe’s hand on his shoulder holds him back. Cisco wants to shake off the grip but he feels frozen. He wants to run forward and dive headfirst into the destruction to find Barry. He wants to scream at Joe for convincing Barry to do this, to charge into the fray without a better plan in place. Cisco wants so much but more than anything he just wants to see Barry one more time.

“Cisco,” Joe’s voice is soft, “look.”

Cisco shudders but obeys. He blinks away the tears and focuses on the pile of rubble before them. His eye catches a chunk of stone tumbling down from the top, followed by another, and another. Cisco’s heart pounds in time with the avalanche of stones until finally—

Barry stands at the top of the rubble with his suit torn to pieces though still clinging to his skin. He’s covered in blood, and Cisco wonders how much belongs to him. Cisco finally shakes off Joe’s grip and starts walking toward Barry. The fight is still raging around them but Cisco doesn’t care, none of that matters to him. What matters is if Barry is still alive, then Harrison Wells is _not_. That had been the plan, Barry would take him on and only one speedster would emerge. It had been very Harry Potter-esque, something Cisco didn’t have the wherewithal to appreciate until now. Now that _his_ speedster is the one still breathing.

Barry finally turns, and long before Cisco can actually reach the still smoldering edges of S.T.A.R. Labs Barry is speeding towards him and tackling him in an embrace. Barry’s arms wrap around his middle and haul him into a hug, and Cisco returns the affection by locking his arms around Barry’s neck and shoulders. They’re spinning and the world around them is moving in slow motion as they stay in the speedforce for a brief, private moment.

Red lightning still surrounding them and still staving off Joe’s impending interruption, Barry kisses Cisco hard on the lips with all the desperation of a man who came far too close to death. Barry kisses Cisco over and over and Cisco can taste the speedforce on his lips, sharp and bright and tantalizing. They kiss for as long as they can until Barry’s adrenaline dies down enough for them to stop spinning. They slow to a stop, still tangled in one another, and Joe finally catches up to them.

Joe is talking, Cisco can hear him distantly. He doesn’t care what’s being said, though, he only has eyes for Barry. Cisco is crying openly now, but the fear has subsided. He knows that they’ve caused problems just as they’ve solved some, and Cisco knows that Barry will probably have to take up the mantle of ‘superhero’ now. Cisco knows there’s still danger going forward, and that he’s probably going to have a million more moments where worrying over Barry shaves a few years off his life.

He doesn’t care, though. They did this—something Cisco had been sure was impossible—with hardly a hitch. If they can take on a time-traveling, identity-stealing speedster from the future hell-bent on revenge and power, then nothing else seems as daunting.

Paying no mind to the hushed and hurried conversation Barry is having with Joe, Cisco leans up and catches Barry in an off-guard kiss. It’s nothing lewd or inappropriate, and it’s not the same as their “oh thank god you’re alive” kissing from a few minutes ago. It’s softer, easier, gentler—it’s a promise.

_I love you. We did it. We can do anything._

**Author's Note:**

> -Harrison Wells is still Eobard Thawne  
> -He still created the particle accelerator with the intent of creating the FLASH so he could get home  
> -Barry was not taken to STAR Labs during his coma  
> -Joe started an underground coup essentially with the sole task of taking down Wells  
> -Cisco got his powers from the explosion and vibed on Wells and that's how he knows he's evil  
> -Their plan at the end is basically a major speedster battle wherein either EoWells would get to go home at the expense of Barry's life, or Barry would kill EoWells. 
> 
> Just meant to be a fun twist, don't think too hard about it haha.


End file.
